Senate adopts bill to regulate strip‑search recordings and restrict access after reported abuses

Senators adopted House Bill 11‑23 with floor amendments that sponsors said respond to a well‑documented abuse of strip‑search video in a county jail. The amended bill narrows permissible uses and establishes tracking and reporting to the Division of Criminal Justice.

Sponsor remarks focused on victims’ trauma and the need for accountability after repeated non‑criminal viewing of recorded strip searches. A sponsor told the chamber the bill would require body‑worn camera capture for strip searches beyond standard intake procedures, limit who may access footage, require authentication and access logs, and create an annual public reporting requirement for five years to gather data and inform policy.

Floor conversations acknowledged trade‑offs with law enforcement operations: sponsors said they worked with sheriffs and vendors to ensure the technology and reporting are practicable; other senators warned about preserving legitimate safety exceptions and ensuring evidence‑handling needs are not impaired.

Amendment L24 — adopted on the floor — expanded reporting obligations, required BWC for certain searches, created access restrictions, and set a five‑year data collection window after which the reporting requirement sunsets. Supporters argued the approach creates transparency and a data basis for future policy; opponents sought narrow clarifications during debate but the measure passed.

Next steps: the enacted language will require implementing rules and reporting processes by county sheriffs and the Division of Criminal Justice; sponsors said annual public disclosures will enable legislative oversight and potential future refinement.